World Kidney Day is a global healthcare event celebrated on the 2nd Thursday in March every year since 2006, intending to bring together the patients suffering from kidney diseases and promote awareness of “amazing kidneys” by educating the people about their role in maintaining health. This year 2023, World Kidney Day is observed on Thursday, 9 March.
World Kidney Day is a global campaign that aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
On this day, various medical campaigns are conducted, such as
* Systematic screening for all types of chronic kidney disease (especially patients suffering from diabetes and hypertension)
* Circulation of preventive tips
* Advocacy of kidney transplantation as a best-outcome option for kidney failure
1 in 10 people worldwide suffers from some degree of chronic kidney disease, as it can develop at any age, and various risk factors can accelerate it.
Genetically, people of South Asian geographic regions, i.e., people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, have a higher risk of contracting chronic kidney disease, especially with increased rates of diabetes and hypertension.
Importance of World Kidney Day (WKD)
A progressive condition that affects>10% of the general global population, chronic kidney disease affects more than 80 crore individuals. Generally prevalent in the elderly and the diabetics, chronic kidney disease extracts a significant burden in low- and middle-income countries.
The approximate prevalence of chronic kidney disease in India is 800 per 10 lakhs of people, while the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is 150–200 per 10 lakhs. Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause in India.
The epidemic of chronic kidney disease in Indians is seen with a scope of increasing diabetes load, hypertension, and an ageing population; it will only worsen. The oncoming wave of chronic kidney disease can be encountered only with awareness. Understanding can help in the early detection of kidney disease, and it can be considered more successful if the awareness drive meets the patient.
Apart from educating the people en masse, World Kidney Day also helps bring the attention of local and national health authorities and other stakeholders in controlling the chronic kidney disease epidemic.
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